Friday, July 30, 2010

Oh, Angelina! You certainly walked into madness when you joined the new Jersey Shore season in Miami. Word has it that Angelina kept in touch with some of the guys from the show, but the girls seemed to be quite angry with her. Was it for leaving season one of Jersey Shore? No. It's that Angelina talked about the other girls. J-Woww and Snooki specifically made a stand against Angelina, and in turn, it looks like Angelina went on the defensive. Then, Sammi was concerned that Angelina was hitting on Ronnie, so things got messier. We'll see how this plays out throughout the show.

The Sammi "Sweetheart" and Ronnie situation should be interesting as well. Will their love grow? Will they stay broken up? We will see.

Oh, yeah, and did Snooki really call her boyfriend a gorilla juicehead? And mean it in a good way?

I would just like to point out that many people from Jersey Shore are not from New Jersey, and now they are not in New Jersey, yet the show is still called Jersey Shore. I understand that it's necessary for marketing and popularity purposes, but I just think it's funny.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

This week's episode of Toddlers and Tiaras featured a Nevada pageant, and the parents in this episode were hardcore. First of all, Olivia's mom and Kaylee's mom were both young and pretty. Secondly, both girls had well spelled names. And, both moms were okay with going all out and spending money.

This week was unique because a mom, Angela, entered her son, but not her daughters in pageants. The girls didn't want to compete, so she focused her energy on her son. You know what? It worked! The boy was boyish, and his mom wasn't trying to make him into a girl. It was nice! I'm kind of 'eh' on the boys-in-beauty-pageants circuit, but I think Angela did it well. The one thing that was weird for me was Angela's son's name - Darrick. It's pronounced like Derek. However, to me, Darrick spells Dah like the sound in dad, followed by the name Rick. Dah-rick. *Shrug.* On the show, I heard it pronounced as both Derek and Darrick, so I'm not exactly sure of the intended pronunciation.

We learned some very interesting pearls of wisdom from Olivia's mom, Jillian, in this "Toddlers and Tiaras" episode. Most notably, we learned that physical beauty is important, and that is because...

It's harder for a jury to convict an attractive person.

You know, I'm sure there is validity behind that statement, honestly. However, it did still give me a laugh! Jillian was fantastic. She's funny and gives off a ditzy vibe, but I think she's really smart and is just playing a game with us. I think she knows exactly what she's doing.

In case you're interested, I wrote a new Bukisa article about why Americans love reality TV. If you're interested in writing to make some extra cash, Bukisa is a great place. You can write about anything you want, or create PowerPoint slideshows, to earn residual income. You also make money when people that you refer make money. If you want to join Bukisa, click here to join with my referral. I'd really appreciate it!

First, "I'm Pregnant and..." was amazing. We followed a former drug dealer who was in jail...and pregnant. She became eligible for parole right before her due date. On this show, we see Trisha's struggle as she overcomes addiction and aims to raise her baby in a positive way. It was so positive to see Trisha's mom, a recovered addict, live a great life, and see Trisha overcome her addiction. It was great to see Trisha's supportive family structure and how Trisha and her family take accountability for their actions. This show really broke down barriers - Trisha was a 23 year old, pretty, articulate female - showing that anyone can fall into a tough situation.

"Teen Mom" was interesting. Catelynn and Tyler fought over Catelynn's lying. The thing is, I didn't realize that Catelynn had a problem with lying. When did this come about? Did I just miss it? I'm happy that Gary and Amber ended up salvaging their relationship. I hope it improves even further and they end up together after all.

"If You Really Knew Me" was another good show. I like watching the high school kids step outside of their comfort zones and learn about others. On this show, kids participate in Challenge Day, in which kids learn to understand people that they normally would not understand or get to know. This show presents a great lesson for everyone - there is more underneath the surface for everyone. No one's life is as perfect as it seems.

On a random note, I hate songs where people brag about their success or how they wish that their music wasn't all about fame and fortune. Please, this stuff is making you millions. You wish you rapped just for fun? So do it! But you aren't. You're writing a song about it, then making millions by complaining about being rich and famous. Oh, I'm so sorry. Prime examples: Airplanes by B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore and Magic by B.o.B. featuring Rivers Cuomo. I actually didn't realize that these were both B.o.B. songs...wow, I guess I just don't like his music!

Monday, July 26, 2010

On the season finale of VH1's "You're Cut Off," something miraculous happened.

Erica and Gia got along.

I know, seriously! Who would have thought? Granted, it involved them bashing Pam at some point, but still. They put their differences aside and got along. Crazy!

Here's a list of who made it through the "You're Cut Off" season and their outcome in the program:Jessica: Jess was required to find a job and do laundry. Her mom committed to only paying for her essentials. Jessica did not like the idea of having to pay for her own tanning. She said tanning would help her get a job. Jessica accepted the terms and was admitted back into her home. She graduated. Jess put her negativity with Pam behind her and moved forward. Jessica really changed - you go girl!

Courtnee: Courtnee must decide where she wants to live and relocate to that location. Courtnee has to start paying her bills. Courtnee accepted the conditions and graduated. She was later given money as a graduation gift and encouraged to shop. I'm not sure that's the right message to give her right after graduation, but it did make her happy.

Leanne: Leanne was required to go back to nursing school. She also had to only keep one credit card with a limit of only $500 a month. Leanne gladly accepted, denounced her need for material things and graduated. Leanne made a huge change that was evident from her great attitude.

Amber: We didn't really see much of Amber on "You're Cut Off," did we? I don't really remember much about her, which to be honest, is a good thing. This means she wasn't a drama queen. Amber was given one year to move out and get her own place. Her terms were pretty light, but this matches her non-dramatic attitude. Amber accepted the terms and graduated.

Pam: Pam was advised to find herself. She was entirely cut off by her parents. (I doubt that will last, but whatever!) Pam accepted the terms and graduated from the "You're Cut Off" program. The end of the show made fun of Pam's use of the word "main-doon" instead of "mundane." It was great.

Erica: Erica's mom complimented her to no end, and simply asked Erica to clean up after herself. She has to put her clothes, shoes and dishes away. As such, she graduated by accepting the terms. Seriously, though, all she has to do is put her shoes away! This is not a tough task. Despite the fact that Erica has to do practically nothing despite Laura's recommendations, one thing I admired is that Erica and her mom clearly have a wonderful, understanding relationship. Erica will stick to her rules, I'm sure, because she practically doesn't have any!

Jaqueline: Jackie was told that she will need to move out and pay her own bills. Jaqueline accepted the terms and even admitted that it was time for the changes. Jackie happily graduated and pledged to try her best.

Gia: Gia asked for more sex from her husband. This is a fair request! However, her husband had requests as well: Gia has to take care of the baby, cook, do the laundry, and do general upkeep of the home. Her husband wanted to let go of the housekeeper. Gia did not accept the terms. Gia said she would stay home to cook once a week if she could keep the housekeeper. At that point, her husband accepted and Gia graduated. Still, I'm not convinced that Gia has changed since she got nasty discussing the requests. Of all people, I think Gia will return to her old ways. I hope I'm wrong, but only time will tell. It was noted that Gia's husband did not stick to his terms.

I am proud of this round of VH1 divas! Many of them have come a long way and become better people. Props to the "You're Cut Off" cast members!

On another note, I watched an episode of "Whose Wedding Is It, Anyway?" The episode featured sisters who shared a wedding. They certainly had their differences, but they overcame them. Their wedding was beautiful. The noticeable thing for me was the name choices for the girls. The older girl was Jaton, and the younger girl was Javonne. I am interested in the matching names, but even more interested in the non-matching spellings. I wonder why Jaton ended in just the 'on,' whereas Javonne ended in 'onne.' Maybe the parents had a spelling change of heart.

On "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," we learn that Danielle is throwing a Sweet Sixteen party for her daughter. Three hundred and fifty people will be in attendance. I'm sorry, Danielle, I thought you were broke. I'm confused!

Danielle also talks about how she thinks her daughter Jillian will be a rock star. I'm not convinced yet based on tonight's performance, but Jillian, keep writing your songs, girl! You're 11 years old now. Practice your singing, practice your songwriting, and take your reality television fame to the record studio.

As a reality TV lover, I need to support my expensive cable TV habit. As such, here are two money saving things that I love:

This one's for the fashion lovers. For the next week or so, RueLaLa is offering everyone who signs up a $10 credit on their account to use towards a purchase. When you refer people and they purchase, you earn even more credits. Before you know it, you'll get tons of free stuff. RueLaLa is one of the discount designer websites that I love. (See this site for all of the designer sale sites that I love.) Shopping from these sites will allow you to wear the same brands that celebrities wear, like Juicy Couture, Alice & Olivia, and Kitson, for a fraction of the price of expensive designer clothing. All websites only sell legitimate items. The clothing is inexpensive (or less expensive than normal) because it is last year's merchandise or on clearance. But seriously, a Louis Vuitton is a Louis Vuitton, even if it is last year's model!This one's for the practical shoppers. Students are entitled to join Amazon Student, which allows students to obtain free two-day shipping for a year on Amazon.com products. The best part? You get student-related email offers from Amazon.com, and as noted earlier, it's free. This service is $79 a year for non-students. Even if you do pay for the service, it is totally worth it. I've subscribed to it, and let's just say this service helped me buy many last minute birthday and holiday presents without the hassle of paying for shipping or waiting for long shipping times. I love this and recommend it 100%. If you're going back to school, Amazon has great back to school deals for everyone from preschoolers to middle schoolers to college students. Seriously, Amazon got me through college - from books to supplies to dorm stuff, I absolutely loved it.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Woo to Neiman Marcus for sending out $50 gift cards to people who have not shopped with them in a while. This is a great way to get people to shop.

Woo to the fact that Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston have not yet confirmed their participation in a reality show about parenting their child, Tripp. While I think they could make a lot of money from it, keeping your private life private is a good thing. Besides, haven't we learned that reality shows destroy relationships? I'm talking to you, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. Also, Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro. Also, Jon and Kate Gosselin.

Woo to the fact that the Jimmy Choo / Uggs collaboration release date is inching closer. We still have until October until the collection hits shelves, but I am ready to see the very expensive madness! (Boo to the fact that the lowest price shoe will be $495, so I'll just be looking, not buying.)

Woo for the confirmation of Season 3 of Jersey Shore. I'm not a big fan of the show, but I fully support the cast's decision to ensure that everyone is paid the same amount of money per episode, rather than the 'favorites' getting more than the others.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

This week on Toddlers and Tiaras, the kids all had names that were spelled in relatively traditional ways. The weird part? The moms didn't.

The moms were Stephnie, Melonie and Kelley.

Kelley isn't too non-traditional, but Melonie is a bit literal with the fruit reference, and Stephnie looks like it's missing a letter.

There actually was one child with an interesting, non-traditional name - Brylee. They didn't show her mom's name, since she wasn't featured on the show. However, Brylee is one of the up-and-coming names these days, so who knows? Maybe in ten years Brylee will be on the top baby names list.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The new season of Teen Mom premiered on MTV last night. The opening episode was surprising. Here's a quick recap:

- Due to a violent episode with her mom and the court order afterward, Farrah moved into the guest house across the street from her house after her mom hit her. So, wait, they have a guest house? I know this isn't the point, but Farrah's been fighting for independence, and they had a guest house she could live in the whole time? In any case, it's a shame that the issues between Farrah and her mom escalated to the point that they did. It would be wonderful if things get better between them.

- Catelynn and Tyler, last season's golden couple, showed cracks in the foundation of their relationship. It looks like their relationship is going to end, and it's going to be Tyler's decision.

- Amber thought she was pregnant. Fortunately, she wasn't. I don't mean that it's good because of their relationship, but both Amber and Gary lost their jobs, so supporting a second baby is not an option.

- Maci and Ryan had child support issues, mainly that Ryan wasn't paying any. I think Maci is fantastic and it's terrible that she's going through this. Maci's storyline was by far the least dramatic of the bunch.

I'm Pregnant and... was also on last night. This week's episode featured a husband and wife who may be having a baby who is a dwarf. (Dwarf is their word, not mine.) The husband is a dwarf, the wife is not. I love this couple. They were fantastic. They were such strong, mature, loving people. This shows that people may be different (physically or by having tattoos and such) and are still fantastic, amazing people. I can't say enough about how loving and accepting this couple is. Their families were also great. I hope they have wonderful lives and overcome any obstacles that are thrown their way. I think their episode of I'm Pregnant and... will mean a lot to many people.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

This isn't reality TV, but did anyone watch the Degrassi: The Boiling Point movie? Can you believe that Spinner and Emma got married and made it work? I wonder how this will work out. Seriously, this was a shock. It was great to see the early characters back on the show. I like them so much better than the new characters. I was also glad to see that Fiona's character was finally shown for the true character that she is. Her 'crazy' side has always been a bit evident, but now it's clear to viewers, and I look forward to seeing how this storyline is continued.

Congratulations to Taylor for winning True Beauty. Erika came in second, probably because a lot of what she says comes off as insincere. I think it's interesting how throughout the show, the whole focus is on outer beauty, but as soon as the contestants learn that they are being judged on inner beauty, they claim that they've learned so much and have changed their negative ways. Yes, they did learn, but in the past twenty four hours. Hardly enough time for a long-term change to come to fruition.

On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, I gave Teresa props for apologizing to Kim D. for the incidents that occurred at the fashion show. I did not give Danielle credit for playing the situation out for air time. I think I'm biased, though, because I am a Teresa fan, but not a fan of Danielle. I'm still confused by the incident where Danielle stated that she is ashamed of her body, yet she pole danced in tight clothing, and completely whipped off her robe to show the doctor the area of her body that she is supposedly ashamed about showing.

Monday, July 19, 2010

If you read this blog, you probably realize that I feel very strongly about baby names and the reason for naming a baby well. I love baby name books and truly believe that a person's name influences their life.

I am also a fan of etymology and words in general. I think spelling is important and strongly support the teaching of spelling and the maintenance of language.

That being said, these two things create a passion for baby names: the good, the bad and the ugly. This transcends backgrounds and borders of all kinds. Choosing a baby name affects a child, and this has been proven through psychological studies. As such, I enjoy studying names, and although my commentary may be snarky, there is truth and interest behind the things that I say.

Here's a quote from AskBaby.com that sums up my thoughts: "Psychological research has shown that people view some names as more desirable than others, associating some with success and others with a tendency for failure. It is thought that people transmit these character expectations via subtle verbal and non verbal communication which then affects the way we perceive ourselves and consequently the way we act." For example, a child named Starlight may act out more than a child named Kate, because her name is more unique.

Here's the thing - I believe that you do not want to saddle your child with a name that he or she will most likely be embarrassed to share with others, or that no one will ever spell right. Even with a common name, like Abigail, misspellings occur. Why select a common name with an uncommon spelling? In my example a two posts below, I highlight the name Mechele. If you enter this name on babynamer.com, the name does not exist. Is there anything fundamentally wrong with it? No. But would Mechele have an easier time explaining her name to people and finding personalized items if her name were to be spelled Michelle? Yes, she would.

Think about sending out resumes. According to ImDiversity.com, "A recent study shows that people with "white-sounding" names are 50 percent more likely to get a response to their resume than are those with "black-sounding" names." I am not saying this to sound negative towards anyone - this is simply a fact that has been studied. I am simply quoting those who have done the research. I am not saying you should not choose a baby name that you love due to its ethnicity. However, it is important to consider your child's future. When all people have to go by is a name, your naming choice becomes a very big deal.

Baby name discussion goes way beyond a blog like this one. There are websites, like Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing, dedicated only to this type of discussion. Unique baby names, like Princess Tiáamii, child of Jordan and Peter Andre, become a major topic to linguists who focus on baby names and naming convention. In this article, it is discussed that the name Princess sets up high expectations that the child may not be able to meet, as well as creating a strong chance of ridicule for the child.

France circumvents the bad baby naming convention by limiting the choices of baby names to names on an approved list created by the government. Yes, this limits creativity, but it also avoids giving some French children advantages (or disadvantages) over others simply based on their given names. Denmark does the same, in support of protecting the children and the conventions of the country of Denmark.

I'm not saying that the whole world should limit the available names for children. After all, names do evolve over time. Edith was once a common name, and Nevaeh was virtually unheard of twenty years ago. That being said, consider your child, not just yourself, when selecting a baby name. Israel and Michael are both acceptable names. Isreal and Micheal are tougher to deal with. Olivia and Miley are growing in popularity. Ahlyvia and Meighleigh might get frustrated with their misspelled names. There's nothing wrong with a name like Serafina, Cristina or Alexia. While one is Italian, one is not spelled in the most popular manner, and one has only gained recent popularity, these are all real, acceptable names. Why not step outside the box for a creative, yet realistic name, rather than going so far outside the box that you've run a mile, hopped a fence and landed in a ditch?

On You're Cut Off this week, most of the girls really met the challenge - not without freaking out at first, of course. This week's assignment was to help cook at a homeless shelter and get to know the guests at the shelter. The girls seemed really impressed with the people at the shelter. This encounter helped them move past their fears and understand that just because someone is homeless does not mean that the person is not a good human being. Then, the girls had to sell their own possessions for charity, and surprisingly, they stepped it up.

Of course, despite the positivity and progress, there was a negative. Gia was her usual mean-girl self. She said, "I don't even serve my husband food, and I'm going to sit here and serve homeless?" Have some compassion, Gia! I think almost everyone has some mean girl in them, but at least understand when you should step outside of your insecurities and help others. Gia did actually break down eventually and learn from the homeless guests, which was nice. She did share her story about how she felt that her daughter ruined her life. However, I'm not yet convinced that she's changed for the long run. I'm especially unconvinced due to next week's preview - it looks like Gia won't accept the condition her husband sets forth for her return.

I was actually disappointed in Erica. She donated one of her tiaras, but seemingly only to upset Gia. She also sabotaged the sale of Gia's hookah simply so she could win the competition. Her team didn't win, which in a sense, proves that negativity and lying is not the best way to reach your goal.

I have to give credit to Jessica and Courtnee. Jessica worked her butt of at the homeless shelter, and Courtnee stood up to Gia when she was being a mean girl towards Pam, Jaqueline and Erica. Jessica really interacted well with the people at the shelter and even got to know some people. This was a huge step for her. She really learned from the people at the shelter and internalized their message.

Courtnee defended Gia after she learned about why Gia acts the way she does. Courtnee did not have to do that, and I give her so much credit for doing so.

Jessica defending Erica at the group session just about blew my mind. I gained so much respect for Jessica then. She could have easily trashed Erica, as they've had their differences, but she seemed to genuinely note Erica's progress.

Next week is the You're Cut Off season finale. I am so excited to see how things turn out.

MTV aired a special called Baby High. The girls on this show are pregnant or have babies, and attend a special school for girls with babies. I have to say, I'm impressed with the girls on this show. They have babies, attend school and named their babies pretty well. These are upstanding, motivated women. Props to them! They are doing wonderful things, even in a tough situation.

It's inspiring to see how the participants at this school for teenage mothers, Westport TAPP High School, truly embraced motherhood and their educations, and aspire to become successful women and amazing mothers.

Now, to talk about names.

Two of the babies are Peyton and Meleah. Meleah isn't my favorite spelling, but you know what? It works. I like both of these names.

The girls on the show, unfortunately, seemed to have not had as much luck when being named. Some names include: Mechele, LaKrista, and Bre'Oshane and Re'Oshane (with accents over the final e). I don't even know how to say those last two names. Fortunately, there is also a Karissa and Madeleine, which are both not the most common spellings, but are totally acceptable. Madeleine is an absolutely beautiful, classy spelling.

Some notes

This is a good show - definitely worth watching. Baby High is a special, so try to catch it if it airs again on MTV.

Note: I think some readers are misunderstanding me here. The point of my blog, typically, is to be snarky about baby names (see this post) and reality television. That being said, I think "Baby High" was amazing. The girls featured on this show are doing amazing things. I can't commend them enough for being amazing mothers to their children and continuing their educations. We see the girls on "Teen Mom" on MTV struggle without their degrees. These girls are avoiding this struggle by completing school in a healthy, wonderful education for both themselves and their babies.

I had the personal experience of visiting an organization at a school for teen moms. The moms had meetings about how to be great parents while their children spent time in school sponsored day care. These girls were amazing. I got to know one mom who struggled to find herself, keep up her grades and raise her baby. While I don't condone or recommend teenage pregnancy, I am so proud of all teen moms, like those on "Baby High," who choose to continue their education and live their lives in a positive, productive manner.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

This week on Wife Swap, a family that lives by the rules of perfect etiquette faced off with a family that focused on mud racing and being dirty. This episode was pretty typical for Wife Swap, but this time, I couldn't decide which family I favored. Typically, there's one family that I agree with and one that I don't see as even remotely correct. This time, they both had their merits and negatives.

The McLeesh family was very rigid. I loved how the family focused on etiquette, involvement in activities and being well rounded. However, the kids seemed miserable. Everything was about rules. Parents were parents, but not at all friends. The kids craved free time, but were only given structure.

The O'Dell family focused on mud racing and family unity. This family is fun. They are happy, the parents and kids are best friends, and the family members know what they like. The negative? I wonder if the kids were even exposed to other parts of life - were they given the option to take dance class? To love fashion? To be girly? I'm not convinced. That being said, they are happy, so I really can't criticize.

Most notable to me were the names of the O'Dell children. These kids come from a family that believes in messiness and madness. Essentially, this family was not into femininity. However, their kids' names defy this. The kids were named Brittanie and Kayla.Brittanie: To me, this name screams femininity. Not only is it the name Brittany, but it carries an even more feminine twist - being ended with an 'ie' instead of a 'y'.Kayla: This name is also feminine. It ends in an the 'a' sound, which is typical of many feminine names.

I guess I'm just surprised that the girls don't have more unisex names, like Morgan or Jordan. For a family that focuses so little on femininity, their children have quite feminine names.

The McLeesh names made more sense: Jenae and Jasmine. Jenae is a bit less etiquette-based than I expected, but Jasmine definitely fits the bill of an etiquette obsessed family.

Friday, July 16, 2010

The latest news says Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston are back together & want to do a reality show. Wow, just wow.

Danielle Staub of The Real Housewives of New Jersey told the media that she plans to sue some of her fellow housewives. Tough luck, Danielle, because the contract you signed says that you can't sue them. Let's see how this plays out.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

After focusing on Toddlers and Tiaras, I thought it might be interesting to take a look back at the names of girls that appeared on the show Little Miss Perfect. When I checked out the website, I noticed a few strange things.

First, the spellings of children's names on this show are by far better than most of the names on Toddlers and Tiaras. That's not to say that there weren't creative names, but we'll get to that shortly.

Secondly, there were a lot of duplicate names, and not necessarily names that I would expect. There were two girls with Kendall-style names. One was named Kendall (the proper way) and the other was Kyndal. I hate to break it to Kyndal's parents, but the Y sound does not match the eh sound in many dialects. As such, Kendall is spelled properly and Kyndal spells something resembling the word kindle. These two things are not equal.

There was also a Shelby and a Shelbie. While Shelby is the traditional spelling, Babynamer.com tells us that Shelbie is acceptable.

Anyway, on the topic of creative vs. un-creative names, Little Miss Perfect does pretty well. Jayne, Maggie, Trinity, Taylor, Madison, and Alexa are all, well, normal, properly spelled names. Props to these parents! They may destroy the self esteem of their children with pageants, but at least they have decent names.

Too bad I can't say the same for contestants Mayce and Jacee. If I remember correctly, these two girls were close friends and competitors. I really think their moms had a competition to see who could choose the worst spelling of an 'acey' name. Macy? Perfect. Jacey? Also good. Even spellings like Macie and Jaci could be acceptable, but Mayce looks like a misspelling of the word mace, and if you read my blog, you already know how I feel about ending names in double E's.

Other Little Miss Perfect names with bad spellings: Hadlie and Destinee. To me, Hadlie isn't really a name at all, let alone a feminine name for a pageant queen. And Destinee? Do you really have to misspell a name that is a word? You have some leeway with names like Christina (Kristina, Cristina) because that's a name. But destiny is a thing. It is a word. It has a definitive spelling and definition. Seriously, people.

On an unrelated note, the Shannon twins, Karissa and Kristina, from the short lived second attempt at "The Girls Next Door" spilled the fact that living at Hugh Hefner's mansion meant living like a child. They had a 9 PM curfew and lots of rules to follow. I believe it, but it sure is a far cry from the Playboy mansion that was described in the absolutely amazing book Playground: A Childhood Lost Inside the Playboy Mansion.

It turns out that Brittanie and Brooklyn, two girls on Toddlers and Tiaras, were great competitors. So, even with her misspelled name, Brittanie rocked it.

There were two other notable names on this week's episode of Toddlers and Tiaras:

Pyper and River.

I like Piper, but I think it's creative enough without needing a y in it. River I'm just not sure about. I don't find it particularly feminine. Thoughts?

Also, on I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant, the baby was given the name Ameria. I'm not sure if my spelling is correct, but it was pronounced Uh-mare-ee-uh. I'm not sure what I think, and I'm sure whatever the spelling is will be quite confusing for all spellers.

Totally random, but if you need to resurface your bathtub, this stuff is amazing and so affordable. I recommend it 100%.

Aside from destroying the root word and meaning, Brittannie also looks like it should be pronounced, well, not like Brittany. At the very least, it looks like Britt-uh-nee. At work, it could possibly be Britt-annie. You know, Annie as in the name itself. Maybe even Brit-tannie. Whatever, to me, it does not spell Brittany.

I feel bad for this child. She'll never find anything personalized, no one will ever spell her name correctly and I'd be very surprised if potential future employers take her seriously. Having a name in the Brittany/Tiffany genre is tough enough in the working world, but this atrocity of a spelling is significantly more confusing and ridiculous.

Note: this reminds me of the time I saw the name Tiphanie. Seriously? Could you not decide between Tiffany and Stephanie, so you had to splice the two together? Tiphanie takes away any of the attractiveness of the name Tiffany. I also met an Ambar once (way to destroy Amber), admired the awful spelling of Mckenzie (this was another Toddlers and Tiaras mess - forgetting vowels or capitals much?), and gawked at a tragic spelling of Teeghan (another Toddlers and Tiaras phenomenon). Buy a baby name book, please!

About Me

I'm navigating my way through life in the best way I know how. I love reality TV, 80's music, fashion, writing and being sarcastic. I'm a huge fan of Bret Michaels and Daria (yes, the MTV cartoon). My goal is to get lots of people to read my blog and enjoy my typically snarky (and sometimes serious) point of view about reality television, fashion and life in general.

Below is my favorite quote from my blog. I wrote it, but I think it's relevant to share anyway.

"Hold onto your slice of reality pie while you can, because as soon as you eat it, it's gone and the shame goes straight to your hips."